Automobile signal



F. C. WHITMORE AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed April 1, l19.26

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IFBDEBIGK C. W'BITHORE, OF NEW YORK, N.' Y.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Application led. April 1, 1926. `Serial No. 99,106.

The invention relates to improvements in,

turning and stop signals for automobiles and has reference more particularly to those of the type which are actuated by suction from Athe intake manifold of the motor, or some other part in which a partial vacuum exists.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a vertical y elongated casing in which a signaling arm is normally disposed, said arm being pivotally mounted for outward swingin to signaling position, and I employ a be lows connected with the arm for outwardly swinging the latter, and one object of the invention isto provide an exceptionally compact relation of arm, bellows and casing, permitting the latter to be of slight width.-

. An illuminating bulb is provided for the signaling arm, and a further aim of the invention is to 'rovide-the bellowswith coacting relative y fixed and movable contacts for automatically completing the circuit of this bulb when the arm is projected, the circuit being broken when the arm again moves into the casin A still furier object is to provide a construction of extreme simplicity and one which may therefore be manufactured and sold at small cost, yet will be eiicient and in every way desirable.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanyingv drawing. y

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a si aling device constructed 1n accordance with my invention, a portion of the signaling arm being lshown in elevation, this arm being disposed in its normal position, within the casing.

Figure 2 isa detail sectional view showing the manner in which collapse of the bellows projects the signaling arm and completes the circuit for its illuminating bulb.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 3 designates a vertically elongated casing preferably formed from sheet metal and provided with an open outer side 4, while all other verticalsides of said casing and its top are closed so as to protect internal parts from the elements as much as possible. This casing mayI be mounted in any'desired manner and for illustrative purposes, its lower end is provided with an outstanding flange 5 to be secured b bolts or the like 6 upon an automobile fendiar 7,with

`the opencasing side 4 disposed toward the outer edge of the fender.

\Normally hanging vertically in the casing 3,is a signaling arm 8, the upper end o said arm being pivoted to the opposed casin sides, upon a shaft 9 or other desired pivo mounting means. This arm 8 is outwardl spaced from the inner side wall 10 of the casing 3, to a suilicient extent to permit the mounting of a bellows 11 in the space between said arm and the wall. This bellows is vertically disposed and has its stationary sidewall 12 secured in any suitable manner aglainst the -inner surface of the wall 10, w ile the movable sidewall 13 of said bellows is connected by a link 14 with a portion of the arm 8, above the pivot 9. Thus, when the bellows 11 is collapsed as shown in Figure 2, it will swin the signaling arm 8 outwardly through t e open side of the casing 3.

The arm 8 is preferably provided at its front and rear sides, with translucent panels 15 of any desired color, and an illuminating bulbk 16 'is provided for these anels to impart 'a conspicuous, mellow g ow to them eachtiine the arm 8 is extended, and to complete the circuit of this bulb, coactin contacts 17 and 18 are preferably carried y the fixed `and movablev walls 12 and 13 of the bellows 11, which walls are shown rojectin beyond the flexible portion 19 ofp said be lows, to carry said contacts. v

The contact 17 is referably in the form of a coiled spring w ile the contact 18 may well be a metal. plate disposed at the inner side of the wall 13. In the present showing, fasteners 20 ass through the free end portion of the w l 13, through the plate 18, and through another metal plate 21 at the opposite side of said wall and electrically 'connect said plates 18 and 20.' To this platev electrically connected with casing 3 and the 'i 1,e4e,ssa

26 is either connected with the negative lead 29 of the battery or leads directl to the negative terminal of the latter. hus, as soon as the contact plate 18 strikes the spring 17 upon collapse of the bellows, cur-L rent flows through these two contacts, through the fasteners 20 and plate 21, to the pivot 22, then through the link 14 and the wire 2li to the socket 5, and from this socket the current returns through the wire 26, said current of course passin through the filament of the bulb 16 to i uminate the latter. It will thus be seen that immediately upon projection of the sixaling arm, the illuminating bulb will brought into play, whereas this bulb will be extinguished as soon as the arm is again swung intothe casgin desired construction maybe employed for the signaling arm 8. For illustrative purposes, this arm is s own as formed of upper and lower casing ,sections 30 and 31 detachably connected by l"screws 32, and an insulating base 33 is shown secured within the lower end ofr the casing section 30 to carry the socket 25. By removing the screws 32 and detaching the lowerfsection 31, access may be had to bulb 16, for replacing it y. whenever necessary,with a new bulb.

The u per end of the casiiig section 30 preferab y has its inner half o set from its outer half, providing an upwardly propecting corner portion 34. This corner portion is formed with a notch 35 through which the link 14 passes, in the present showing, the-pivotal connection 23 being within the casing section 30. i

As excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shown and described, it may well be followed. However, it is to be understood that within thescope vof the invention as claimed7 numerous variations may be made, and while I contemplate connecting the bellows 11 with the intake `manifold andthe provision of a suitable control valve,V it is to be understood that other means. could be employed if desired,

for creating suction in said bellows to collapse it.

I claim: y

1. A signaling device comprising a casing having anv o'pen outer side, a signaling arm pivotally mounted in said casing for movement through said o en side, a bellows se cured in the casing v tween the inner side wall of the latter and said signalin arm and having a stationary and a movab e side wall, the stationary and movable side walls of said bellows bein projected beyond the iexible portion of t e latter, coacting contacts carried by said projecting ortions 'of the stationary and movable be ows walls 'and ada ted to contact when the bellows is collapse a metallic link oonnectin the movable bellows' wall with the si a arm for projecting the latter when the llows is collapsed, said link havingelectrical connection with the movable contact, an illuminating bulb for the arm, and means coactivaI with said contacts and link for completing the circuit of' said bulb when the bellows is collapsed and the arm projected.

2. A signaling device comprising a casing having an open outer side, a signaling arm pivotally mounted in said casin for movement through said open side, a ulb carried by said arm, a bellows secured in the casing between the inner side wall of the latter and said signaling armand having a stationary and a movable side wall, the stationary and movable side walls of said bellows being projected beyond the flexible portion of the latter, coacting contacts carried by Said projecting portions of the stationary and movable bellows walls and adapted to contact when.the bellows is collapsed, means bulb will be lit on t e collapsing of the bellows and projection of the arm.

In test1mony whereof I have hereunto aliixed my signature.

FREDERICK C. WHITMORE. 

